Food labeling is a hot topic these days. I recently participated in a food labeling discussion with farmers and non-farmers across the country. I was happy to be invited as a consumer and farm defender. When non-farmers and farmers come together it can get animated. Discuss labeling and it can get close to something resembling a battle ground. Still, I support my farmers and find it alarming they are most often not invited to the table to talk about those issues that most affect them. We should value their input. Not including them in discussions can create fear and lack of addition of valuable knowledge. GMO labeling is a cost issue for farmers. If there’s no longer a need for GMO crops, a possible outcome of GMO labeling, they can’t simply convert their growing space to something else. It takes long range planning and money.
“GMO” could be the icon for any labeling discussion. I was in favor of a Maine GMO labeling law. The one that passed I consider to be mostly useless, largely because of the trigger clause, which requires five contiguous states to also have GMO labeling laws before Maine’s goes into effect. The process, however, created engaging discussion and a certain measurement of how passionate people can be about their food. This I applaud.
GMO labeling is back in Maine news. Opponents are using this same argument: GMO labeling is an unfair, inequitable law that will put Maine at a disadvantage with neighboring states which don’t require food to be GMO labeled. The other side heralds eaters rights. At the least, the trigger should go. On the other hand, I think that in the wake of current Federal discussion on GMO labeling and creating a national standard, Maine legislators should put the discussion aside for the time being and see what comes from the Feds. I didn’t think this when fighting for the original bill, because the Feds and food companies weren’t responding to consumers. Now they are. Let’s move forward. By that I mean, if there’s going to be another discussion, let’s label medical food, meat and livestock feed.
This is why I believe there needs to be a national standard. You may have seen the “Non-GMO Verified Project” seal on some products and wondered why it wasn’t on others. If something is not labeled non-GMO, should we assume there are some, if not all GMO ingredients? Nope. If the product is labeled organic, you don’t need the non-GMO label, as it has to be non-GMO in order to be labeled organic. It could be the producer didn’t want to pay the fee for non-GMO certified, even though all of the ingredients are non-GMO. It gets confusing. If not confusing, a definite time drain to educate yourself on how to decipher a label and if there isn’t a label, what does that mean?
Consumers are speaking loud and clear. Although whether their response is of sound judgement is still being debated, companies are listening. Enter Campbell Soup Co. and SpaghettiOs -made with GMO beet sugar, GMO high fructose corn syrup and sometimes added meatballs. Mmm Mmm Good they say. After many years of opposing GMO labeling, Campbell’s now says they “will advocate for federal legislation that would require all foods and beverages regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be clearly and simply labeled for GMOs.” (campbellsoupcompany.com) Although, they didn’t specify a timeline, they indicated that if the Feds don’t act in a timely fashion, they will work independently to disclose the presence of GMOs in their products.
Having a Big Food name like Campbell’s support labeling is a game changer. They aren’t saying GMO’s are unsafe, only that they believe consumers have the right to know what’s in their food. I agree. Of course, the whole truth behind their decision is that Vermont’s labeling law, which excludes meat, makes labeling complicated. “Partially produced with genetic engineering” doesn’t work for SpaghettiOs with meatballs.
I remember my high school economics teacher teaching “caveat emptor”. I learned that as a buyer, I was to always beware! Rely on the power of information. So, talk with food producers and sellers whenever possible. Check www.nongmoproject.org for list of verified products. When in doubt, rely on intuition. The last of which we have always at our ready.
‘Organic’ label is automatically non-GMO. This alone was worth the price of entry for me 🙂
One Q. Is there a ‘top 10 GMO foods to avoid’ list somewhere online? If so, please share. Thank you!
Kumud
Hi Kumud! There are several links available for briefing on top 10 GMO foods, but here is a briefing.
In a nutshell, I suggest avoiding anything with corn that you don’t know is organic. Sadly, this is just about every food product, but look for the “non GMO Project logo” or “organic”. Or ask the farmer. If they skirt the topic, move on. Be careful when you see “non-gmo corn” in the list of ingredients – they often contain gmo soy. GMO corn is makes up 80% of corn production in the US. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is another marker for GMO corn.
Look for “cane sugar” or organic sugar for sugar ingred. If it just says sugar, it’s most likely from gmo sugar beets.
Canola oil is obtained from rapeseed and was renamed canola to distinguish it from non-edible rapeseed. Canola is obtained from a system of chemical actions, although, not necessarily gmo. I avoid it. I do find I don’t feel well if I ingest a food with it, but of course, that’s correlation, not necessarily causation.
Payayas. Some from HI are not GMO, but if not labeled as non-gmo, then assume they are GMO. Ongoing debate in HI to grow or not to grow.
Soy! It’s in nearly everything. Everything! Look for soy lecithin. The easiest way to avoid gmo soy is to look for non-American products. Hate to say it, but that’s what I’ve found. Especially, chocolate. Not fool proof, but helpful. The list of foods with GMO soy (lecithin) is seemingly infinite. I’ve also found most “fair trade” products tend to be non-gmo soy.
I hope that helps. Shopping gets more complicated, but I think it’s worth it. Caution that just because one day it doesn’t have a GMO ingredient, doesn’t mean the next time you buy it, it is the same.
Nearly another blog post! After awhile, you give up trying to manage the minefield and only buy organic and make more and more of your own foods. All in all, not a bad thing.
Thanks for asking. Took awhile to write a thoughtful, not too involved response!
Lil
Thank you for your considered, detailed and thoughtful response. It probably explains why, more often than not, corn does not agree with me… will try the organic variety 🙂
Maybe I will plant a vegetable garden this year or just stick to air and water… and cookies, LOL! 🙂
You’re welcome! I make nearly all of my food from scratch using organic and as local as possible. It’s a lifestyle commitment and I think a commitment to my health. Wishing you good health!